Conversations about race can be challenging, even and especially in church settings. And yet, Christ came for all people. The Gospel and Race is a free resource offered by the West Ohio Conference for Christians, faith leaders and ministers interested in exploring what the Bible says about God, humanity and race. The Gospel and Race is a four-week study that can be used at any time of the year; West Ohio will be sharing this content in our NewsNet email newsletter beginning the week of January 6, 2020 but the resources will remain on our website for your reference.
This four week study and worship series includes:
- A devotional reflection and discussion questions for each week, suitable for individual or small group bible study
- A worship and preaching guide for each week offering talking points, sermon outlines, liturgy, prayers, music suggestions and imagery for each week’s scripture and theme
- A short (3 to 7 minute) video reflection for each week
- A remembrance of baptism liturgy & A Great Thanksgiving Communion Liturgy that can be added to any week of the series
Week 1
Full Scripture: Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.[a] “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Week 2
Full Scripture: John 4:7-30 (NRSV)
The Woman at the Well
7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’
11 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ 13 Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ 15 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’
16 Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ 17 The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ 19 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet.
20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ 21 Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ 25 The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ 26 Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’
27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ 28 Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29 ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’
30 They left the city and were on their way to him.
Week 3
Full Scripture: Genesis 22:15-18 (NRSV)
All The Nations of the Earth Shall Gain Blessing
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’
Week 4
Full Scripture: John 10:11-16 (NRSV)
…there will be one flock, one shepherd…
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Additional Resources
This liturgy is ideal for use within The Gospel and Race Worship Series or any other worship series celebrating community and bridging across difference.
This reading list includes books and downloadable resources on a variety of topics, including race, gender, generational difference, mission, preaching, the strength of the small church, personal devotion and more.
Having conversations about race is a form of ministry and devotion. These resources can be used to help you explore race and Christianity, and you’ll most likely find connections to other forms of difference, as well. The writing, planning and video team for this project included racially and theologically diverse lay and clergy ministry leaders who care about helping our churches and encouraging all people who want to deepen their faith. The West Ohio Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Gospel and Race writing team hope that these resources will help you and your church continue to have conversations about how we are called to live out our Christian faith, even when we may not look, sound and think like each other. God cares for all of us, and God is still moving in us, delighting in our differences.